Key holder



March l5, 19u32. L. B. EMBRE 1,849,080

` KEY HOLDER I Filed Feb. 1o, 1950 WE/Vree.

LESTER B. EMBREE,

Patented Mar. 15, 1932 UNITED STATI-:s

PATENT OFFICE LESTER B. EMBREE, kor sAN'FnANcIscQ'cALIroRNu KEY HOLDER 'appncaaml` ma February 1o, 193e. `strati No. 4.27am.l

the remaining keys, the holder being provided A with a cover foldable to normally enclose the When a plurality of keys are carried upon a key ring or other holder of any of the forms 'heretofore commonly used, it is frequently difficult to selecta desired key for use. T his is particularly true when the key must Vbe selected in the dark. The primary object of my present invention is,"there'fore, to provide an improved key holder which will facilitatethe selection of a desired key from a plurality of keys carried. upon-al holder.

30 Another object isV to provide an improved holder provided with improved means for selectively moving a desired key to an outwardly extending position apart from .the remaining keys attached to the holder.l

A further object is to provide an improved device of the character described wherein the keys and selective means may be eii'ectually enclosed.

A still further object is to provide a key holder of improved construction which can be manufactured economically and which is simple, compact and eilicient.

I accomplish these and other objects by means of the improved device disclosed in the drawings forming a part of the present application wherein like characters of reference are used to designate similar' parts throughout the specification and drawings, and in which Fig. 1 is a front view of my improved key holder with the cover open;

Fig. 2 is a left side elevation of the holder with one ke extended, the cover being folded rearwar ly toward the back of the holder; and

Fig. 3 is a right side elevation of the holder as shown in Fig. 2, the cover being similarly folded.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 is used to designate a mounting member provided with an voutwardly extending bearing lug 2 formed at one side thereof, and a plurality of spaced lugs 'formed at the opposite side of the mounting member. `The lugs 3.

are `spacedprogressively from each other and from theA lug 2. v

Aplurality ofkey mounting members 4 are mounted upon the member l.l Each member 4 consists preferably of 'a shaft portion mounted for limited rotative movement upon the lug 2 and one of the lugs 3. An arm 6 extends laterally from one end ofleach shaft member 4, said arm preferably being formed integrally with the shaft portion and being arranged at substantially right angles to said shaft. Actuating knobs 7 are arranged upon the opposite ends of the shaft member 4. The shaft members 4 are of progressively increasing lengths conforming to the spacing of their respective bearing lugs 3 from the common bearing lug 2,`the shaft members 4 being positioned'in spaced parallel relation and the arms' .likewise being disposed in parallel relation asshown in Fig. l of the drawings.l The knobs 7 are preferably `stag gered, as shown in Fig'. 1, alternate knobs being overlapped by the knobs of adjacent shaft members 4 to reduce to a minimum the space required between the shaft members to afford clearance for the knobs. y Suitable key clips 8 'are secured upon the ends of the arms 6, preferably by means of eyes 9 formed in said ends. The clips are shaped to detachably engage keys 11 of the ordinary form to suspend said keys from the ends ofthe arms 6 as shown in the drawings. A cover 12 is secured upon the back of the mounting member l. The cover consists of a back portion provided with extensions 14 arranged to be folded across the front of the.

holder to cover the front of the keys and the mounting members. The cover is of alength and width sufficient to cover the full length and width ofthe holder and the keys mounted thereon, andthe extensions 14 are made of a width sufficient to overlap across the front of said holder and keys. Securing means 16 and 16 are secured upon the overlapping edges of the cover extensions 14 4whereby said extensions may be fastened together tenorl tails of construction illustrated and ,described but desire to avail myself of all modi- E fications which may fall within the scope of the ap ended claims.

mally enclose the keys. If desired, a backing member 17 of relatively stiH material may be secured between the mounting member 1 and the cover 12 to dene and maintain the covered holder.

In operation, keys 11 are attached to the clips 8, the keys normally being suspended inslightly overlapping parallel l relation as shown in Fig. 1 whereby the extensions 1li of the cover may be extended and fastened across the front of the holder to enclose the keys and hold the same in a compact form. When it is desired to use one of the keys, the cover extensions 14 are unfastened and spread to afford access to the keys, and the knob 7 carried by the mounting member 4 upon which the desired ,key is suspended is turned to swing the desired arm and key outwardly to an extended position apart from the remaining keys, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. In this manner the desired key is eifectually separated from the remaining keys and may be selected for `use without interference by the other keys.

The user quickly 'becomes familiar with the arrangement of the several keys with resect to their respective selecting knobs 7 so t at a desired key may be selected by simply locating the proper knob by the sense of feeling alone and then turning said knob to select the key. Thus any desired key may be selected in the dark without the necessity of v'inspecting the several keys to ascertain the ke desired.

hile I have illustrated and described only one embodiment of my invention, the device is of course subject to modification in numerous ways without departing from the spirit of my invention. I therefore do not wish to restrict myself to the specific de- Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is for selectively moving the shafts to move the desired arm and key to outwardly extending position apart from the remaining keys; and a c'over attached to the mounting member and rovided with extensions foldable across the ront 'of the keys and shafts to enclose the same.

3. A key holder' comprising a mounting late provided with outwardly extending caring portions; a plurality of shafts mounted in parallel relation upon the bearing portions; a laterally disposed arm formed upon one end of each shaft; means for attaching a key. upon each arm; and an actuating knob secured upon the opposite end of each shaft whereby any shaft can be turned independently of the remaining shafts to swing its arm and key outwardly to an ex? ended position apart from the remaining eys.

4. A key holder comprising a mounting late provided with outwardly extending earing portions; a plurality of shafts mounted 1n parallel relation upon the bearing portions; a laterally disposed arm formed upon one end of each shaft; means for attaching akey upon the end of each arm; an actuating knob secured upon the opposite end of each shaft whereby anyv shaft can be turned independently of the remaining shafts to swing its arm and key outwardly to an extended position apart from the remaining keys; and a cover comprising a back portion secured upon the back of the mounting member, and side portions foldable to overlapping position across thel front o f the holder to enclose the keys.

In witness whereof, I hereuntoset my signature.

' LESTER B. EMBREE.

1. A key holder comfprising a mounting 1 member; a plurality o shafts mounted in spaced parallel relation upon the mounting member; a laterally disposed arm carried by each shaft; means for attaching a key upon the outer end of each extension; and an actuating knob mounted upon the end of each shaft for selectively moving the shafts to move the desired arm and key to outwardly extending position apart from the remain- .ing keys.

2. A key holder comprising a mounting member; a plurality of shafts mounted in spaced parallel relation upon the mounting member; a laterally disposed arm carried by each shaft; means for attaching a key upon the outer end of each extension; an actuating knob mounted upon the end of gach shaft 

